Inductors are passive electrical components that are configured to generate a magnetic field that stores energy. Inductors are used in a wide variety of integrated circuit (IC) applications, such as, for example, voltage regulators and many radio frequency (RF) circuits. At least some known inductors can be built directly on integrated circuits using existing integrated chip fabrication processes.
When designing the inductor, it is important to consider the inductance value as well as the quality factor (Q) and occupation area of the inductor. The inductance of an integrated inductor is a measure of the amount of energy stored in an inductor. The Q factor is a ratio of the amount of energy stored in an inductor to the amount of energy dissipated in the inductor, and is a measure of its efficiency. An ideal inductor has a relatively high Q factor. The higher the Q factor of the inductor, the closer it approaches the behavior of an ideal, lossless, inductor.